


Reconnect

by climhazzard



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: M/M, More characters added later, Trans Character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-20
Updated: 2016-04-12
Packaged: 2018-04-16 06:40:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4615125
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/climhazzard/pseuds/climhazzard
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Joining the Zodiacs is a big opportunity for Leorio- one that he can't pass up.<br/>Being a Zodiac presents an even bigger opportunity in his eyes- seeing Kurapika again. After over two years of being apart, Leorio thought that he was finally over Kurapika...unfortunately, things just aren't that simple.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> here i am writing my first leopika fic wow  
> anyways  
> i guess the first thing i should mention is that in this fic kurapika is a trans male. which, coincidentally is something that i am not. that said, if i say something incorrect or inappropriate regarding this PLEASE don't hesitate to ask me to make a change! i will be more than happy to fix it. it's just a personal headcanon of mine that i wanted to write about, and in the most accurate way possible. 
> 
> this fic may or may not be regularly updated but i will do my best (~_~;)

Leorio Paladiknight had never really thought of himself as the nervous type.

He managed to keep an easygoing, carefree attitude most of the time. Sure, he could be irritable, but he was not so easily swayed by something like worrying. Situations would usually resolve themselves, with time.

However, as he sat alone at a booth in the back corner of a quiet cafè, Leorio could not recall a time where he had ever been this uneasy.

Leorio sighed, impatiently drumming his fingers on the table. Things had certainly become more interesting in the last six months or so- not even including his brief fling as a Hunters' Chairman nominee. Evidently, Leorio's unintended publicity stunt had gained him quite the following from both the Hunters' Association and the general public.

It was definitely different, being popular. Leorio had been stopped on multiple occasions by passerby, recognizing him as the man who had punched Ging Freecss in front of the entire Association and anyone watching the elections.

That was definitely a reputation he could live with.

Leorio could have let Ging's attitude slide, had it not been for the fact that Ging happened to be the father of a certain energetic young boy. Really, it was because of Gon that Leorio had entered the election in the first place. Leorio was so desperate to save his friend that he would have done anything.

Of course, once Gon was healed, the election didn't matter much to Leorio anymore. In fact, Leorio wouldn't have minded at all if he never heard from the Association again.

Unfortunately, it seemed that this was not the case. Leorio was contacted by Cheadle Yorkshire in the weeks following the election uproar, and was actually offered a position with the Zodiacs. Both Pariston Hill and Ging Freecss were conveniently resigning from the organization, and given Leorio's newfound popularity, Cheadle seemed to think that he would be the best replacement. To his own surprise, Leorio accepted the offer, on the condition that he could continue his medical studies abroad on an expedition with the Zodiacs.

Even so, there was still one additional opening in the committee, and Leorio couldn't think of anyone who could fill the spot better than Kurapika.

Kurapika had been avoiding all contact with any of his friends for quite some time when Leorio gave his name to Cheadle. Naturally, it had come as a surprise when, out of the blue, Leorio received a call from Kurapika himself.

It had been a brief call, strictly business...but God, was it nice to hear Kurapika's voice. Just that short exchange was enough to remind Leorio how much he'd really missed Kurapika in the time they'd spent apart.

Leorio had always been fond of Kurapika. He was strong and incredibly intelligent, a dangerous combination for any who stood in his way. And considering that it was the Phantom Troupe Kurapika was after, Leorio couldn't think of any opponent who could be better matched.

The more time Leorio spent with Kurapika, the easier it was for him to notice that the respect he had for Kurapika went far deeper than he'd originally realized. It was more than just respect...more than admiration.

Something closer to affection.

Leorio wasn't exactly sure when his little unrequited crush originated, but he did know that he was definitely over it by now.

Or at least, he'd thought as much- until recently.

The fact that Leorio would be working with Kurapika on a regular basis made whatever feelings that remained for the younger resurface. Quite frankly, Leorio wasn't sure how well he would be able to handle spending so much time with Kurapika.

So here Leorio was, sitting by himself in the relatively dull cafè and compulsively checking his phone every few minutes.

By some miracle, he'd managed to get Kurapika to agree to meet with him over lunch. Leorio had to constantly remind himself that this was not a date, and that he should stop acting as such. He and Kurapika just had a bit of catching up to do.

Waiting for Kurapika to show up, however, was proving to be one of the most nerve-wracking things Leorio had done to date. Looking at his phone for the umpteenth time, Leorio noted the time. The display read 12:24- exactly six minutes before Kurapika had said he would show up.

Leorio had decided that if he was going to make any impression on Kurapika at all, being early wouldn't hurt. Coincidentally, it was his punctuality that was currently driving him insane. Unlocking his phone, Leorio opened up his contacts, letting his thumb hover over the call icon for Kurapika. He convinced himself to wait at least until after 12:30- after all, that was the time they'd agreed upon.

 _Maybe he forgot,_ Leorio considered _. Or maybe he's lost- hell, this city is one of the biggest I've ever seen. I get lost just going home sometimes._

Money was no longer an issue as it had been in the past, so Leorio had managed to purchase a modest little apartment on the opposite side of the city. It was nothing extravagant, but it was nice to have a place to call home.

The screen on Leorio's cell phone now read 12:27. Leorio was looking around the room, trying to pick out anyone who even remotely resembled Kurapika.

His stomach had begun to growl, no thanks to his lack of breakfast. The longer he waited, the more hungry he became.

A waitress approached Leorio- the same one who had already made her rounds two or three times since Leorio had arrived. "Are you ready to order, sir?" she asked, polite but clearly a little irritated with Leorio for loitering.

"Still waiting," Leorio answered. "Sorry."

The waitress was persistent. "More coffee?" she suggested, indicating the half-empty cup that had been sitting untouched for around half an hour now.

"I'll pass for now," declined Leorio. "Thank you."

The girl turned and left, leaving Leorio feeling just the slightest bit sorry for her. She seemed nice enough, and he felt as if he was beginning to be a burden by just sitting around.

Leorio checked his phone once again, noticing that it was now 12:29. Disregarding his previous resolution, he finally opted to just call Kurapika already. The dial tone rang- once, twice, three times, until Leorio heard the unmistakable sound of someone answering.

"Before you ask me where I am, I'd suggest that you turn around," said a soft but familiar voice.

Looking over his shoulder, Leorio saw someone approaching him- someone none other than Kurapika himself. Kurapika brought his phone away from his ear, ending the call.

"It's been a while," he greeted. He didn't smile, but his expression was gentle.

"'A while' hardly covers it," Leorio objected, sporting a grin. "It's been more than two years, you know that?"

"Has it really?" Kurapika asked, sliding into the booth and sitting opposite Leorio. "I guess I've just been busy," he decided, sliding his phone into his pocket.

"You and me both," Leorio agreed. "I thought the Hunter Exam would kill me...then I started med school for real. The workload for all my classes...it's like you wouldn't believe. All these late nights are really starting to do a number on me."

Leorio paused, seeming to realize that he was rambling. "Enough about my life, though. How about you?"

"Adding to the collection, mostly," Kurapika answered casually, referencing the eyes of his clan that he'd been hell-bent on recovering for as long as Leorio could remember. "There were a few close calls with some more shady individuals, but other than that, there's nothing much to report."

Although Kurapika didn't show it, he had much more to tell than the brief explanation he'd just offered. The rest, however, didn't quite seem like appropriate table conversation, so he decided just to leave the subject alone. 

Leorio had been studying Kurapika as he spoke, noticing just how much he had changed in the time they'd been apart. Kurapika's blond hair, which had once been cropped along his jaw, now fell a bit past his shoulders, making it look less neat and more unruly. He'd also abandoned his usual traditional Kurta garb, replacing it for the day with a simple pair of black pants and a white button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled to just below his elbows. These changes somehow made Kurapika appear much older than his nineteen years.

"That's the main reason I joined this organization in the first place," Kurapika continued, snapping Leorio back into the conversation. "The Hunters' Association evidently had some information regarding the last of the eyes. Hopefully, as a Zodiac, I'll be able to get them for myself."

"Whatever you do, just...don't get careless," Leorio said, deciding not to mention that if it wasn't for him, Kurapika probably wouldn't have been asked to join to begin with. "I know the way you are, especially when the eyes are involved. I'll help you in whatever way I can, but just know that I've got your back if you need me."

"Your support is appreciated, Leorio, but..." Kurapika sighed. "I don't really want to involve you with this. This is my burden."

There was an awkward silence between the two, quickly and thankfully interjected by the waitress who had evidently noticed the rest of Leorio's party had arrived.

After Leorio and Kurapika had placed their orders, Kurapika decided to change the subject. "Have you heard from Gon and Killua lately?" asked Kurapika, trying to divert Leorio's attention to an easier subject.

Leorio shook his head. "Not since Gon was released from the hospital. I saw him, but Killua wasn't with him...surprisingly." He shrugged. "It's been weird, not having them around."

"They're good kids," Kurapika said, the fondness in his voice undisguised. "I've missed them too." He took the glass of water that had just been brought to him by a different waitress than before, thanking her. "I heard a little bit about what happened with them over in NGL," he added, picking the lemon wedge off the side of his glass. "They were too young for any of that. I wish I could've helped, but..." Kurapika trailed off. "I wanted to go see Gon in the hospital too, but it wasn't a good time for me."

"Was that for the same reason that you've been ignoring my calls up until now?" Leorio asked, a hint of bitterness evident in his voice.

"I...that was personal." Kurapika looked a little bit hurt, which made Leorio regret saying anything in the first place.

"I'm sorry," apologized Leorio. "That was out of line, I don't know w-"

"It's fine," Kurapika dismissed, even sparing a smile. "After all, we haven't seen each other in so long- we have some catching up to do, bickering included."

 _Just like old times,_ Leorio found himself thinking.

The two continued talking about various subjects- gossip they'd picked up on, Leorio's Nen training- whatever they could think of until their food arrived. They had both ordered sandwiches, since that appeared to be nearly all that was on the menu. Taking a bite of his, Leorio decided that it wasn't much to write home about, and probably just tasted better because he was hungry.

Kurapika took a small, thoughtful bite. "This is good," he decided. "Have you been here before?"

"No," Leorio answered, "but I end up driving by this place a lot and figured I might as well check it out." He took a generously sized chunk out of his sandwich. "It's not bad," he said, speech muffled by his food.

"You're disgusting," Kurapika chastised, smiling. "Chew first, then finish talking."

Leorio shot Kurapika a look of mock annoyance. He swallowed, wiping his mouth with a napkin.

"So where are you staying these days?" Leorio inquired, admittedly a little embarrassed at having his manners criticized. "Have you looked into getting a place of your own?"

"There's a hotel that's a few minutes away," Kurapika replied, simply. "I just got to the city a couple of days ago, and I've been traveling around a lot for as long as I can remember...settling down could be nice, what with the new job and all."

Leorio cleared his throat. "You know...if you're, um..."

He cut himself off. "Never mind."

"If I'm...what?" Kurapika leaned forward slightly, evidently curious.

"Forget about it," dismissed Leorio. "It was stupid anyways," he muttered.

"Whatever you were going to say seemed pretty important," Kurapika reasoned. "It couldn't hurt to tell."

"All right, all right," Leorio said, obliging. "Just...promise me you won't freak out or anything."

Kurapika nodded. "You have my word."

"I was gonna ask you if...you'd feel comfortable about possibly staying with me for a while...?"

Leorio waited a few painfully long seconds for Kurapika's response. When none was given, he began talking again.

"I've got my own place," Leorio explained quickly. "It's an apartment...pretty decent size, too. We could get along pretty easy without invading each other's space. It'd be nothing permanent, really," he added, as a precaution. "Just until you can find somewhere for yourself, I mean."

"I wouldn't want to be any trouble," Kurapika replied politely. "You don't have to feel obligated to take me in."

"I mean, it's up to you," Leorio reminded him. "I wouldn't want to force you to-"

"I never turned you down, you know," interrupted Kurapika. "I was only letting you know that I had no intention of infringing on your privacy."

Leorio had to make sure he was hearing correctly. Was Kurapika actually _considering_ _his offer?_

"I mean, it'd be fine, really, if you wanted," assured Leorio. "I've got the rent covered, and there's room for at least one more, I promise." He had to remind himself to slow down- he was starting to ramble again. "Like I said- totally up to you."

"I think...that could be all right," Kurapika said. "You're sure it's no problem?"

"Don't worry about it, seriously," Leorio answered, maybe a bit more hastily than necessary.

"Well...thank you, Leorio," was Kurapika's response. "That's very kind of you."

"Don't mention it," mumbled Leorio, aware that he was definitely a little red in the face. "We're friends, after all. I just wanna help you out."

The word "friend" stung a little as it left Leorio's mouth. To Leorio, Kurapika was so much more than just that...a friend.

A housemate could be fun, but harboring decidedly one-sided feelings towards said housemate...well, that could get interesting.

Sometime in the past few minutes, a check had been brought to the table, unnoticed by both Kurapika and Leorio. Whoever had been serving the pair must have assumed that they were paying together. Leorio was about to call someone over to correct the problem, but Kurapika stopped him.

"It's on me," he insisted. "It's the least I can do."

"Kurapika, you don't have to-"

"Come on, let me treat you," pressed Kurapika, placing his hand over the check and sliding it towards himself. "I really don't mind."

Leorio quickly gave in, not wanting to make a scene. "I'll make it up to you," he promised.

"You've done enough already, Leorio," Kurapika assured. "You're the one who just offered me a place to live- buying lunch seems like a pretty uneven trade, don't you think?"

"I...guess you're right," said a defeated Leorio.

 _I've never been able to win with you,_ he thought. _You always know exactly what to say._

Kurapika paid with cash, leaving a fairly generous tip. He pulled his phone out of his pocket as he exited the booth, noticing the time. It hadn't seemed like it, but he and Leorio had been talking for close to an hour and a half.

Time flies when you're catching up. 

Leorio followed Kurapika as he made his way out the door.

"There's another detail I forgot to ask you," Leorio informed Kurapika.

"Like what?"

"If you're...really gonna move in like you said...when do you plan on doing that?"

"Oh." Kurapika stopped, standing in front of one of the cafè's other doors. "I hadn't really given that much thought to it yet."

"Are you busy this afternoon?" asked Leorio. "We could move you in today if you want- if that's not too soon, I mean."

"I...didn't really have anything planned, no," Kurapika answered. "Are you ready for me right now?"

"The apartment's a little untidy at the moment," Leorio admitted. "Nothing ten minutes couldn't fix, though." He shrugged. "I was actually going to do some cleaning earlier...if I'd have been planning on another person sharing my space I would have gotten it done already."

"I'm sure it can't be that bad." Kurapika began walking again as Leorio did the same. "If you want me to come over, then I will."

"One more question."

"What's that?"

"Where are you going, exactly?"

Kurapika stopped, standing at the street corner. "I...guess I don't know. I was following you."

"Did you drive here?" asked Leorio.

Kurapika shook his head, his earring glinting for a split second in the bright afternoon light. "I don't really like driving," he said, offhandedly. "It's just a hassle."

"So...you need a ride?"

"I guess that's a logical conclusion."

"I'm over this way," Leorio said, gesturing around the next corner. "Just give me directions to wherever you're staying."

The two made their way to Leorio's car in silence.

"So where am I going from here?" Leorio inquired, starting the car.

"Let's see...you keep going straight down this road here for a while," Kurapika answered. "I'll let you know when the turn is coming up."

He could only assume Leorio had acknowledged him over his grumbling about parallel parking.

Once they were on the road, Leorio decided to try and make conversation. "So what do you do during the day?" he asked, trying to think of something casual.

"Nothing particularly interesting," was Kurapika's reply. "Reading, sleeping, sometimes watching TV...not much else."

"I see you're out living the high life," Leorio commented sarcastically. Don't you get lonely on your own?" He slowed down for an upcoming yellow light. "I know I do. Ever since the Exam ended, really...I've kinda just kept to myself."

"I guess I just never think about it." Kurapika looked out the window, taking in the view of the city. "I'm used to being alone by now."

"Being alone gets to me after a while," Leorio admitted.

"I'm sure you've had company at least some of the time," Kurapika remarked, his tone suddenly playful. "If I recall correctly, you've had plenty of women to entertain."

Leorio shot Kurapika an irritated look. "You don't mean..."

"I watched your speech for the Association," Kurapika confirmed with a grin. "You know, I have to say, Leorio...I never knew you had such a way with words."

"Can we just forget that incident ever happened?" asked a clearly humiliated Leorio.

"I might be able to be persuaded," Kurapika answered.

"Kurapika!"

Kurapika laughed once, quietly. "All right, I'll stop," he conceded. "By the way...turn left up here."

Leorio followed Kurapika's instructions, still visibly embarrassed.

"Right at the next light," Kurapika directed. "After that you should be able to see the hotel on the right."

After about another minute, Leorio was parked in the lot of a fairly nice-looking hotel. Taking his keys, he opened the door and stepped out of the car.

"Do you want me to go up with you?" Leorio offered.

"I'll be fine," declined Kurapika. "Just wait in the lobby."

"You're sure?"

"Positive."

Leorio obliged, taking a seat on a nearby sofa in the deserted lobby as Kurapika made his way to an elevator.

Stepping past the sliding metal doors, Kurapika pressed the button indicating the third floor. The doors closed and the elevator began to move up, stopping on the second floor to allow a middle-aged woman to enter. Kurapika nodded politely at her, but said nothing until the doors opened again.

Kurapika made his way down the long hallway, fishing in his pockets for his room key as he walked. Locating the card just as he approached his own room, he swiped it, opening the door.

He didn't have many belongings to his name. In fact, all that he owned was able to fit in a single suitcase. This made traveling light fairly easy for Kurapika.

The first thing he did was collect the various articles of clothing that were scattered around his bed and in the bathroom. This was a pretty easy task, taking all of about two minutes to accomplish.

Next, Kurapika made sure to unplug his cell phone charger from the wall, wrapping the cord up neatly and stashing it in his bag. He picked up his small collection of books that he had brought and packed those as well.

Surveying the room, Kurapika noted that it looked like all that was really left to be done was to get everything out of the bathroom, so he made that his next destination. He located his toothbrush, placing it in his small toiletry bag with a few other various items used for personal hygiene- soap, shampoo, deodorant...and a handful of sanitary pads.

If he was going to be living with Leorio, Kurapika knew that, at some point, it would be necessary to tell Leorio that he was transgender.

It wasn't a secret, really- it just hadn't ever been brought up. Kurapika figured that Leorio probably already knew, anyways. And that didn't really bother him. He just didn't really want to have that conversation.

Kurapika knew that Leorio probably wouldn't react too dramatically to a discovery of that sort, but still...for Kurapika, gender wasn't the most comfortable topic. He'd prefer to avoid the conversation altogether, but wouldn't feel quite right about living with Leorio until that was off his chest.

 _I'll tell him soon_ , Kurapika promised himself. _It can't be that bad, really. Just a short little talk, and that's it._

He sighed, splaying his fingertips on the counter of the bathroom sink. _Everything's going to be fine,_ he had to remind himself. _You have nothing to worry about_.

Giving the bathroom a quick once-over, Kurapika zipped his toiletry bag, turning out the lights in the bathroom and packing the bag in his suitcase.

 _I think...that's everything,_ he decided. He opened the door, wheeling his suitcase out into the hall. Letting the door close on its own, Kurapika made his way back down to the elevators, waiting briefly for one to arrive.

The trip back down to the lobby was a short one. Before he knew it, Kurapika had made his way back to Leorio.

"Ready to go?" asked Leorio, yawning as he stood up.

"I need to check out first," Kurapika reminded him. "Give me a few more minutes."

Leorio opted to sit back down as Kurapika made his way to the front desk. He waited as Kurapika made the necessary arrangements, feeling himself becoming more tired by the minute.

Kurapika returned after not too much longer. "I'm all set," he said. "Let's go home."

It was definitely strange, hearing Kurapika say "home" like that. Leorio considered this...his home was now Kurapika's home as well.

Somehow, Leorio didn't think he would mind that too much.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mostly just an in-between chapter. Leorio and Kurapika spend a little time adjusting to each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ughhhhh i honestly was going to try my hardest to update this on a regular basis :/ this chapter took forever and it's nowhere near as long as the first one. however, i plan on making the next chapter a pretty important one as far as plot goes, so hopefully it'll be here a lot sooner than this one was...  
> honestly i'm not super satisfied with how this turned out BUT i wanted to give you guys SOMETHING since i disappeared off the face of the earth. this is my humble offering

"Well, it's not much, but here it is...home sweet home."

Kurapika stood in the doorway of Leorio's apartment, taking in the surroundings of what was to be his home for a still-undetermined amount of time. The space was a little on the small side for two people, but it was nice, in that respect. Cozy, even.

"I like it," Kurapika decided. "Nothing too extravagant, just the basics."

"Here, let me show you around," offered Leorio. "I guess there's not really much to show, but...uh, this is the kitchen," he said, gesturing to the open area to his right. The space housed a sink, a stove, a microwave, refrigerator, and a small oven, with a table and chairs just a few steps away from where Kurapika was standing. There was also an island counter accompanied by a few barstools, situated in the center of the area.

"The bathroom's over there," Leorio continued, indicating a slightly open door located across the room. "I don't really care where you put your stuff in there. It's no big deal if it gets cluttered." He began to walk towards the bathroom, with Kurapika following close behind.

"Let's see...towels are in here," said Leorio, entering the bathroom and opening the small cupboard against the wall. "There should be extra toilet paper and stuff too...oh, here it is."

Leorio turned. "Any questions so far?" he asked.

"Just one," Kurapika told him. "Where am I sleeping?"

"I was getting to that," answered Leorio. "There's a little spare room over here," he said, showing Kurapika to a room containing a well-worn couch, a bookshelf, and not much else.

"The couch pulls out," he explained. "It's a queen, I think. Um...you can go ahead and bring your suitcase in here."

Kurapika stepped out, retrieving his belongings and bringing them into his new room.

"I'm sorry there isn't anywhere for you to keep your things," apologized Leorio. "I don't really ever have guests, so I didn't really pull a guest room together."

"It's just temporary," Kurapika reminded Leorio. "You aren't obligated to provide me with five-star housing, you know."

"Still...I feel bad making you live out of a suitcase."

"I've had worse." Kurapika's tone was gentle, but firm. "Really, it's fine."

"If you're sure..." Leorio shrugged. "Anything else you need for now?"

"I think that covers everything," answered Kurapika. "I suppose if there's anything that comes up, I'll let you know."

"Sounds good." Leorio turned and left, leaving Kurapika alone.

_He's awfully generous,_ Kurapika thought, abandoning his suitcase and making his way back out to the kitchen, where Leorio was. _And on such short notice, too...either way, this sure beats staying in a hotel._

Kurapika found Leorio searching through the refrigerator. "I don't know if I have much to make for dinner," Leorio said, evidently aware of Kurapika's presence. "I haven't been grocery shopping in a while...guess it just slipped my mind."

He shut the refrigerator door, addressing Kurapika. "What do you think?" he asked. "We could make a run to the store. Or, we could save that for another day and eat out again. There's also a few places that'll deliver that aren't too far from here."

"Can we skip the shopping?" requested Kurapika. "We've been running around all afternoon, it might be nice just to relax for a while."

"Fine by me," Leorio replied. "What about dinner, though? Should we go somewhere, or have something delivered?"

"Whichever you like." Kurapika shrugged. "I don't really have a preference."

"In that case, I'm gonna get delivery," Leorio decided. "I'm pretty tired myself...don't really feel like getting out for a while." Looking at the digital clock on the microwave, he noticed that it was just before three o'clock. "I guess we still have some time before dinner, though. How should we kill the next couple hours?"

"I may just read for a while, if that's okay," Kurapika answered. "I've been pretty busy lately, and haven't had much time to myself." He pushed a lock of hair out of his face. "Sorry if I'm being a killjoy."

"Nah, don't worry," Leorio assured. "I'll let you be, then."

Kurapika took that as his cue to exit, retiring to his room and closing the door behind himself.

Leorio, on the other hand, situated himself on the couch in the living area and turned on the small television set, flipping through channels until he found one particular sitcom that he watched from time to time. The longer Leorio watched, the less attention he found himself paying to the show itself. His mind had drifted elsewhere- mostly, the prospect that the same person he'd been head-over-heels for was now going to be living with him.

_I've really gotten myself in deep_ , Leorio chastised. _How did I manage to pull this off? I really would like to tell him,_ he thought. _I've liked him for such a long time...'course, he probably doesn't have a clue_.

Leorio sighed. _I just don't want to screw things up between us- especially since he's living with me now._

Whatever happened, all Leorio really wanted was for Kurapika to be happy. Hopefully, now that he was joining the Zodiacs, he could relax a little- and maybe make a few friends, too.

Kurapika wasn't really the type to reach out to others- he mostly kept to himself. Leorio thought it would be good for him to be around some new people, which was part of his reasoning to have him join the Zodiacs.

The group hadn't gathered in full since Ging and Pariston resigned, Leorio and Kurapika taking their places. A meeting of the Zodiacs in their entirety to discuss the upcoming expedition to the Dark Continent was set to be held on the first of February- one week from the current date. Leorio sincerely hoped that by the time the group departed in August, Kurapika would have adjusted to his new coworkers. He didn't want him to be uncomfortable among his peers.

The other Zodiacs were quite an eclectic group, but Leorio had a feeling that Kurapika could take a liking to them once they were properly acquainted. Honestly, Leorio was surprised Kurapika liked him at all, much less considered him a friend. Kurapika seemed so much more intelligent and sophisticated than he was- it was a wonder that they'd ever managed to get along.

But Leorio was glad that they did. At this point, Leorio couldn't really imagine ever having been without Kurapika. He'd been such an important part of his life for so long, it just felt like Kurapika had always been there. Leorio knew it was hopeless to ever think that he and Kurapika could ever be anything more than friends, but still...a guy can dream, right?

* * *

"So you punched him in the face?"

Kurapika and Leorio were seated at the kitchen table, an open box of pizza between them.

Leorio was recapping the time he'd lectured Ging in front of the Hunters Association- an event which Kurapika had miraculously heard nothing about yet.

"You bet I did," Leorio confirmed, through a mouthful of pizza. "Bastard had it coming, too. I can guarantee that I did everyone in that room a favor- him included."

"What kind of father wouldn't even go see his own son in the hospital?" Kurapika mused, picking a crumb off his shirt.

"A pretty lousy one," grumbled Leorio. "Honestly, I don't understand why Gon spent so much time trying to find him. Guy's a total asshole."

"It sounds that way," agreed Kurapika. "Well, I guess at the very least, Gon finally got what he was after." "You miss him...don't you, Kurapika." Kurapika raised an eyebrow. "I can tell by the way you talk," Leorio continued. "It's in your voice." "I guess you're right," Kurapika said, reaching for a slice of pizza. "You know, it's essentially because of Gon that you and I are here right now." He took a bite, struggling with a stubborn string of melted cheese that threatened to pull all the toppings off with it. "I still regret not going to see him before, especially since I owe him so much."

"You should give him a call," suggested Leorio. "I'm sure he'd like that."

"Maybe so." Kurapika finished off his slice, chewing thoughtfully. "I just hope that whatever he's doing, he's happy."

"He's come a long way, you know," Leorio said, distantly. "He and Killua...they aren't just kids anymore. Kinda scary, how much they've grown up."

_I could say the same for you,_ thought Leorio.

"Time and experience can change people," agreed Kurapika. "However, I'd say that you haven't changed a bit."

"Is...that a good thing?" Leorio asked, cautiously.

Kurapika offered a smile. "I think so."

_I'll take that as a compliment,_ Leorio decided.

"I think that the opposite is true for you," he informed Kurapika.

Kurapika tilted his head slightly. "Is that so?" he asked.

"I swear, every time I see you, you look completely different," Leorio elaborated. "You used to be a tiny little thing, you know," he added, with a grin.

"You don't dwarf me quite as much as you used to," agreed Kurapika. "It seems like it's been forever since then."

"Man, those were the days," Leorio stated. "Everything was so much simpler, and everyone was happy."

"I miss the way things were back then," Kurapika admitted. "Being able to spend time with you and the others...that was nice. At the time, it had been quite a while since I'd had anyone I would have considered a friend."

_That's true,_ Leorio considered. _Anyone who he would have been close to was murdered...was he really all on his own for all those years?_

Thinking about that...that was painful.

Deciding to lighten the mood, Leorio took the conversation in a different direction. "You and I definitely weren't friends in the beginning," he remarked. "You were gonna try and kill me, you know."

"You say that like you didn't fight back," Kurapika countered, the corners of his mouth pulling into a smile. "If you want the truth, I couldn't stand you at first."

"Could've fooled me," said Leorio, sarcastically. "I thought you were a total snob for a while, but I warmed up to you pretty quick."

"I did help save your life," offered Kurapika. "Near-death experiences tend to be a pretty effective bonding mechanism."

"Wow, was that actually a joke?" Leorio commented. "I'm impressed."

"I, like most others, _am_ capable of humor on occasion," Kurapika responded, now sporting a wide grin.

_He's really got a gorgeous smile,_ Leorio found himself thinking. _I don't get to see that too often._

"So, what's the plan for the rest of the night?" Leorio asked, changing the subject to distract himself from his wandering thoughts. He closed up the forgotten pizza box and stood, moving to take it to the fridge.

"What do you normally do in the evenings?" Kurapika asked. "I'm up for anything, really."

"I dunno, watch TV?" Leorio said, not expecting to be prompted for ideas. "I'm a pretty boring person. It also doesn't help that until recently I've been pretty busy studying, so I haven't really had time to myself," he added.

"That sounds fine, then," decided Kurapika. "Relaxing, even."

"Okay...well, uh, you can watch without me for a minute while I clean up," Leorio suggested, stacking Kurapika's plate on top of his own. "Remote's on the coffee table."

"You're sure you don't want my help?" asked Kurapika.

Leorio shook his head. "You're my guest, it's the least I can do."

Kurapika seemed to agree, turning away and making his way to the living room.

_That could have gone a lot better,_ considered Leorio as he was placing dirty dishes in the sink. _I wish that I had something more interesting for him to do with me. At this rate, I'm gonna bore him to death._

He sighed. _He and I are on such different levels,_ Leorio reminded himself. _It's gonna be a little hard to find common ground as is._

Leorio turned away from the sink. _I guess we'll just figure this out in time._

He made his way over to Kurapika, who had evidently settled on watching some action film that had come out a few years previous.

"You seen this before?" Leorio asked, attempting to engage in small talk.

Kurapika shook his head. "It's good, though."

"I, uh...I think I saw it when it was new. It's not too bad," agreed Leorio.

After several more idle questions, Leorio found himself focusing more on Kurapika than the TV screen. To his surprise, Kurapika seemed to be fairly invested in the movie. He predicted several of the major plot developments as the story went on, and appeared to be pretty pleased with himself whenever he was correct.

_Maybe...this wasn't such a bad idea after all_ , Leorio considered. _And seeing him like this...it's kinda nice._

The movie in question wasn't a particularly long one, and Kurapika had started it about a quarter of the way through. Needless to say, it was over a lot quicker than it seemed like it should have been.

Leorio turned off the TV. "Well, I don't know about you, but I'm tired," he said, yawning. "It's not really that late, but I'm ready to pass out."

"I may do the same," Kurapika answered. 

"Bathroom's all yours, if you need it," offered Leorio. "I'll let you go first."

"Thank you," said Kurapika as he stood up. He went into the bathroom, locking the door.

"No problem," muttered Leorio as Kurapika passed. He made his way to his bedroom, turning out the lights and settling into bed.

Leorio soon found, however, that sleep would not be not so easy to come by on this particular night. He found himself lying awake, thinking...mostly about the fact that Kurapika was so close at that moment. He was just a couple rooms over- and yet, that seemed so far away.

_Just relax,_ Leorio kept telling himself. _It's only temporary_.

But that fact, in itself, hurt a little. Sure, Leorio and Kurapika would likely see each other more often since they would be working together, but Kurapika's presence was only guaranteed for the foreseeable future. At some point, Kurapika would have to go back to wherever it was that he'd been spending his time, and Leorio knew that he would never quite be ready for that.

_I guess I'll just enjoy this while it lasts,_ thought Leorio. _As long as he's here, I'll be just fine._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i swear i will update this as soon as the next chapter is up. kudos/comments always appreciated! 
> 
> see you guys soon (i hope)


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leorio and Kurapika find themselves in a situation that Kurapika hadn't predicted happening so soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ugh i am sO sorry this took me so long to write but HERE IT IS AT LAST. 
> 
> also this chapter has some sensitive issues in it so pleeeeease correct me on anything that you might find wrong! i promise i won't be offended.

Leorio was the first one to get around in the morning, much to his surprise. He'd actually expected quite the opposite. Kurapika seemed like the type of person to be an early riser...unless, of course, he was just particularly tired.

Deciding to let Kurapika sleep, Leorio opted to make breakfast for himself. Nothing extravagant- just some toast and a cup of coffee.

While Leorio was waiting for his coffee to finish brewing, he heard the bathroom door shut. _Guess Kurapika's awake,_ he thought, hearing the shower turn on. _Maybe I could make him some breakfast,_ Leorio considered. _But...what does he like? Hell, I don't even know what_ I _want_.

Leorio decided to wait for Kurapika to get out of the shower before he made anything. He seated himself at the kitchen table, impatiently tapping a repetitive rhythm into the surface.

After a few more monotonous minutes, Kurapika exited the bathroom. He made no attempt to acknowledge Leorio, even though the latter was seated in plain sight.

Leorio dismissed this as Kurapika entered his room, shutting the door. _He must really not be a morning person_ , he decided. _Probably best to let him be._

Leorio found that it was always at least a little bit comforting, having someone to keep him company in the mornings. Usually, it was just him and his loyal companion, the coffee pot. There had also, of course, been a few instances where Leorio had had a lady friend join him at the breakfast table- usually lingering from the night before. It seemed, though, that those awkward morning-afters had been dwindling in number as of recently- maybe they were even over with altogether.

And now, since Leorio had a housemate to worry about, he couldn't see himself bringing home any unexpected night visitors for the time being.

Especially since said housemate was Kurapika.

Leorio sighed. He still wasn't quite sure why he'd been so quick to offer his home to Kurapika, but there was no way out now. He was stuck with Kurapika for the time being- which, maybe, wasn't such a bad thing.

Kurapika entered the kitchen, yawning. "'Morning," he mumbled.

"Did you sleep okay?" inquired Leorio. "I've never used that hideaway before, so I don't know how comfortable it is."

"It was fine," Kurapika replied. "Actually, I slept fairly well."

"Good to hear." Leorio continued with his idle chatter. "You hungry? I can make breakfast."

Kurapika shook his head. "No, thank you. I don't usually eat much for breakfast. It's become a habit, I suppose." He shrugged, taking a seat across the table from Leorio. "Thank you for offering, though."

"No problem," dismissed Leorio. "If you change your mind, let me know."

The only answer Leorio was given was a nod.

After a few seconds of silence, Leorio stood. "I'm gonna go shower," he said, taking his half-empty cup of coffee with him. He began to make his way to the sink to dump the remainder of his coffee, only to have his trip cut short by way of tripping on the leg of Kurapika's chair.

Naturally, the majority of the spill was concentrated on Kurapika, who quickly stood in hopes of avoiding any mess. Unfortunately, he was a second too late, and his shirt was now soaked.

"Shit...sorry, Kurapika." Leorio apologized. "Leave it to me to be clumsy enough to pull something like that."

"It's fine," assured Kurapika. "It was an accident." He turned. "I'm going to go change out of this."

As Kurapika left, Leorio searched for something to clean what little of the mess had not been absorbed by Kurapika's clothing. _Paper towels, maybe?_ he considered, rummaging through drawers and cabinets, but finding nothing of use.

 _Hold on...I think I was keeping them in Kurapika's room,_ recalled Leorio. _I'll go check there._

He made his way to Kurapika's room. The door wasn't all the way shut, so he let himself in.

"Hey, Kurapika, have you seen any-"

Leorio froze. He had failed to realize that Kurapika had still been changing, and he'd unintentionally barged in.

Under Kurapika's half-buttoned shirt, a layer of bandages was visible, wrapped tightly around his chest.

It took a second for Leorio to register what he'd done, and another for him to bolt out of sight.

Kurapika's confused and slightly startled expression switched to one of concern. "Leorio!" he called, hurriedly buttoning his shirt the rest of the way and attempting to locate Leorio. "Come back!"

_The door to his room is closed, noted Kurapika. He's probably in there._

Kurapika slowly approached Leorio's door, gently knocking. "Leorio...please," he said, softly. "I'm not angry with you, I just want to talk."

He waited a moment for an answer. When none came, he closed his hand around the door handle. "I'm coming in, all right?"

A muffled "I guess" could be heard from the other side of the door.

Kurapika opened the door to find Leorio sitting against the wall, arms crossed over his chest. He was evidently quite upset with himself, and refused to make eye contact.

"Kurapika, I'm sorry," Leorio immediately muttered. "I'm really, really sorry."

"Don't worry about it," Kurapika assured, seating himself on the floor next to Leorio. "To be perfectly honest, I've been wanting to have a talk with you sometime or another, and I've just been given an opportunity to do so."

 _Although, perhaps these aren't the ideal circumstances,_ thought Kurapika, but kept it to himself.

"I'm transgender, Leorio," Kurapika explained, without hesitation. "Although...you probably already figured that out."

"After just now...yeah, that much is obvious," agreed Leorio. "Please don't take this the wrong way, but...I've, uh...I've always kinda...had my suspicions," he admitted, hoping that last comment didn't offend Kurapika.

"So if you knew before...why didn't you treat me any differently?" asked Kurapika.

"What'd be the point?" countered Leorio. "You're a guy, just like me...end of story. That's all there is to it." He paused. "You don't deserve to be set aside from anyone else just because you don't fit the, er...conventional definition of a male."

"You never looked at me differently than anyone else?" Kurapika questioned, genuinely interested.

 _Well, I did, but not for the reasons you might think,_ Leorio thought.

"No," he said, finally forcing himself to look at Kurapika. "You're just Kurapika. You're the same Kurapika that I knew two years ago, and that hasn't changed just because you came out to me. You're still you, and as long as that doesn't change, my perspective of you won't, either."

There was a silence between the two. Those few seconds of quiet seemed to drag on forever.

"Do you know how much it means to me, hearing you say that?" Kurapika said, quietly. "You have no idea...how much easier you've made this entire conversation." A smile began to spread across Kurapika's face. "Thank you...so much, Leorio. I...I needed that."

"No need to thank me," Leorio answered. He waited a moment. "And, uh...Kurapika?"

"Hm?"

"I'm...I'm really sorry about earlier, I wasn't thinking. It won't happen again."

"Leorio, I'm beginning to think that you're more embarrassed than I am over this." Kurapika's tone was firm, but calm. "Don't let it bother you so much."

"One more thing," Leorio told Kurapika.

"What's that?"

"Is there anything I can do to help you out?"

Kurapika shrugged. "You don't need to do anything for me, Leorio. I'm just fine as I am. I promise, you've done enough already." He cracked a smile once again. "But thank you for the offer- I really do appreciate it."

"I just want to let you be as comfortable as possible," Leorio assured. "Seriously, if there's anything at all that you need, tell me, and I'll help you out."

"I'll keep that in mind." Kurapika nodded. "Thank you."

Even though the conversation seemed to be over, Kurapika was still hunched over, deep in thought.

 _I wish I knew what goes on in that head of yours,_ considered Leorio. 

"Kurapika...?"

Kurapika looked up.  

"Is there...something else on your mind?"

"I guess...I'm just considering how lucky I am," was Kurapika's reply.

"Lucky?" pressed Leorio.

Kurapika nodded. "Few people are so privileged as to have such a wonderful person to look after them."

The unexpected kindness of that comment took Leorio by surprise. It left him struggling to think of a response. _Geez, Kurapika, you can't just say things like that without warning._  

"Well...I'm, uh...I'm flattered," managed Leorio. "Thanks, but I'm really nothing special."

"I could argue otherwise." Kurapika shifted around a little. "Leorio, you really don't give yourself much credit, do you?"

"What do you mean?" asked Leorio. "I'm no upstanding citizen. I've screwed up more times than I can count, especially recently...really, what sticks out so much to you about me?"

"You're kind," Kurapika answered, simply. "You're remarkably, remarkably kind. People like you...they don't come along very often." He stopped talking for a moment, considering. "Leorio, I've never met someone whose determination to help others is as strong as yours. That being said, I consider myself to be an incredibly lucky person to have the luxury...no, the privilege...of your company."

Leorio had to take a moment to let all of what Kurapika had just said sink in. _I guess I never knew...that I was that important to him,_ he realized.

"Kurapika," he asked, "do you...do you really think all that about me?"

Kurapika raised an eyebrow, skeptically. "Would I lie to you, Leorio?" he prompted. His words were accusatory, but his voice was gentle. "Of course I do. I wouldn't have said all of those things about you if I didn't fully believe that every single one of them was true."

"I...wow. Thank you, Kurapika," Leorio said, quietly. "That means a lot...really."

"Don't mention it." Kurapika got to his feet, offering a hand to Leorio.

Leorio reluctantly accepted Kurapika's help, feeling slender fingers grasp his hand. He pulled himself up, letting go of Kurapika's hand.

"I do have...one last question," prompted Leorio.

"And what might that be?"

Leorio couldn't help but grin. "Have you seen the paper towels?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope you enjoyed it! sorry, it feels like my chapter sizes are dwindling every time i post -.-
> 
> [i know binding with bandages is bad and i promise that will be addressed later on!]
> 
> see you soon (hopefully)!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in which the parents talk to their kiddos

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yo i'm back after several months of unannounced hiatus (i am so sorry) but i also just finished my 3rd watch of hunter x hunter plus the manga returns next week so i am back with new inspiration for this fic!
> 
> it's almost the end of the school year and things are piling up (especially since i'm a senior and i need to graduate) but once summer comes i hope to be able to work on this fic [more] regularly! and thank you to all who give kudos and leave comments, it means a lot to me ^.^
> 
> so anyways this chapter is 99% filler but i PROMISE the next chapter will be pertinent to the plot, i just felt it would move too quickly without something to space out plot points
> 
> enjoy your completely irrelevant, probably canonically inconsistent familial fluff kiddos  
> ☆*:.｡. o(≧▽≦)o .｡.:*☆

Since the incidents of the previous day, Leorio and Kurapika had been somewhat awkward around each other. Conversations were brief, small talk was nearly nonexistent. There was an almost tangible wall that had been built between the two.

Even so, Kurapika still made attempts to socialize- strangely enough, it was Leorio who was refusing to interact. He didn't hold it against him, though...historically, Leorio had been known to take things personally, so Kurapika let him be.

Since he had begun his stay with Leorio, Kurapika had been feeling extremely sentimental. Perhaps it was just being in the presence of an old friend that did it for him. Nevertheless, Kurapika and Leorio had come to a mutual, unspoken agreement that they both missed two certain younger friends terribly.

It was Kurapika's idea to call Gon. He figured that maybe talking to the energetic boy would assist in taking Leorio's mind off of everything.

Kurapika leaned over, resting his elbows on the kitchen countertop as he scrolled through names and numbers on his phone. He desperately hoped that Gon's would still be there. It had been...how long, since the last time the two had spoken over the phone? He guessed that it had probably been right after the auction at Yorknew...that seemed like ages ago.

After a bit more searching, Kurapika managed to find the number he was looking for. He took a deep breath, drumming his fingers on the counter as he pressed the call button.

Each dial tone was more nerve-wracking than the one before it, it seemed. Kurapika hated to admit it, but he was a little shy over the phone. It didn't help that he was already nervous enough about talking to Gon.

The call went to voice mail, and Kurapika's breath caught slightly in his throat when he heard Gon's voice in the recorded message. He sighed, disappointed, and hung up.

No sooner had he set his phone on the counter than when it began buzzing. A little startled, Kurapika checked the display, and realized that it was Gon who was calling. _He must have barely missed my call_ , he thought as he swiped the answer key.

Kurapika swallowed. "Hello?"

He didn't get to say any more than that before he was interrupted with an excited shriek of "Kurapika!?"

The familiar voice instantly brought a smile to Kurapika's face. "Yes, it's me," he answered. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"Yeah, it's been forever!" agreed Gon. "Why'd you decide to call?"

"Well..." Kurapika paused to think for a moment. "I don't really know, honestly. I suppose...that I just missed you, Gon."

"I missed you too, Kurapika!" exclaimed Gon. "You must have been really busy lately."

"I guess you could call it that," answered Kurapika, indifferently. "Busy" may not be the right word, he thought. After all, before he'd met back up with Leorio, he'd been out hunting scarlet eyes, for...how long _had_ it been?

"It's not the same without you and Leorio," Gon continued. "It's been a long time since we've all been together. And so much has happened since then!"

"I know," Kurapika affirmed. "I heard...about some of the things you and Killua were mixed up in recently." He sighed, dejectedly. "I wish I could have helped you two out, but...it just didn't happen. I'm sorry.

"Don't worry," Gon assured. His tone was comforting, but the cheeriness was gone. Something told Kurapika that they were both speaking about very sensitive subjects.

"We made it out okay, and that's what really matters, right?" continued Gon, evidently trying to smooth over the events of the last few months for Kurapika's sake.

Kurapika managed a smile. "I guess you're right."

It was then that Leorio made an appearance. He noted Kurapika's content expression and approached him, curious. "Who're you talking to?" he asked.

Kurapika had evidently not noticed Leorio making his entrance, and quickly looked up at him, startled. "It's Gon," he informed Leorio, who seemed surprised at this information.

"Gon?"

Kurapika nodded.

"Mind if I say hello?"

"Go ahead." Kurapika stepped towards Leorio. "Gon," he said, once again addressing his friend on the line, "Leorio's here with me, and he-"

"Leorio's there, too?" exclaimed Gon, who was clearly audible even several feet away where Leorio was standing. "That's great!"

Leorio grinned at Gon's enthusiasm. "Will you put him on speaker?" he asked Kurapika. "So we can both talk, I mean."

"Gon, I'm putting you on speakerphone, okay?" Kurapika stated, setting his phone on the counter and pressing the appropriate button on his screen.

"Okay!" piped up the energetic teen, his cheerful voice now resonating throughout the kitchen.

Leorio spoke up, hunching over the cell phone laying on the counter. "Hey, Gon. It's been a while."

"Leorio!" Gon exclaimed. "It's nice to hear your voice again."

"What have you been up to lately, kid?" Leorio asked. He hoped that Gon had been able to readjust to normal life after all that had happened.

"Well, I got to go home for a few weeks," began Gon. "I haven't seen Mito-san for so long...and she sure was surprised when I showed up! I don't think I've ever seen her look so happy."

Kurapika and Leorio both smiled at the pleasant image of Gon returning home to Whale Island and just getting to be a normal kid for a while. They both knew that he needed a break, and it looked like he was getting it.

"Of course, I've had to catch up on a lot of schoolwork," Gon continued, obviously annoyed at the prospect of studying. "Mito-san's my teacher, too, so getting me to catch up on the stuff I missed while I was gone was about the first thing she did. I guess school is a good distraction."

"Distraction?" repeated Leorio, although Kurapika shot him a glance that told him not to pry into Gon's business.

Gon seemed unfazed by that remark. "Well...from what it looks like right now, I can't use Nen."

Both Leorio and Kurapika were immediately alarmed. "What do you mean, you can't use Nen?" questioned Kurapika. "Has someone forced you into Zetsu?"

"No, it's just...back in East Gorteau..." Gon trailed off, but caught himself before he could remember too much. "Back then, I put a restriction and covenant on my own Nen, and since I didn't expect to ever use it again, I'm not sure that I'll be able to."

There was a brief silence in which no one could think of anything to say.

"Don't worry, though!" chimed in Gon, suddenly. "I'm going to try and ask my Nen teacher if he knows anything that might help me out. So, what have you two been up to?"

Kurapika was the first to answer. "Leorio and I have been admitted into the Zodiacs," he informed Gon. "We're taking the places of your father and Pariston, respectively."

"We're Association dogs now," Leorio quipped, earning an amused eye roll from Kurapika.

"Oh, that's really cool!" Gon seemed genuinely excited for Leorio and Kurapika's new occupations.

"Since we'll be working together, Leorio has also generously allowed me to live with him for the time being," added Kurapika.

"You don't have to say it like that," dismissed Leorio, grumbling.

"Figures," snickered a second, previously unknown voice from Gon's end of the call.

"Gon..." Kurapika asked, recognizing the other voice. "Is Killua with you?"

"Bingo," confirmed Killua. "It's been ages."

"Killua's going with me to try and figure out how to get my Nen working again," explained Gon. "Alluka's with him, too."

"My sister," clarified Killua, before Kurapika or Leorio had the chance to ask. "She's with us for a while."

"I didn't know you had a sister, Killua," commented Kurapika.

Leorio knew. He'd never met Alluka, but he'd known about her involvement in restoring Gon a while back.

The four of them carried on idle chatter for quite some time, Gon and Killua especially. They all had quite a few stories to tell that the others had missed out on.

"-and then it turned out that Genthru was the Bomber!"

"-when I used Accompany it took me to Kite instead of Ging..."

"-she made us use Ren for three hours every day without stopping!"

"-I met this chameleon guy who could turn invisible..."

"-and an octopus who wishes he was a squid saved my life..."

"-so I punched your dad in the face!"

After what seemed like hours of storytelling, the conversation was becoming noticeably forced. Kurapika thought that this would be a good time to wrap things up...not to mention his phone was about to die.

"I'm sorry to cut you off, but my phone is almost dead," Kurapika told Gon and Killua. "I'm glad that I got to talk to you two, though." He smiled warmly, although the two boys on the other end would be unable to see it.

"Nice catching up with you, too," Killua concurred. "See you around, I hope."

"Bye!" called Gon. "See you soon!"

After ending the call, Kurapika noticed a definite change in Leorio. He didn't seem to feel as awkward around Kurapika as he had been displaying previously. Perhaps talking to Gon and Killua had taken his mind off things- Kurapika certainly could say so. Even though the four of them were no longer together, just speaking to them made it feel like old times.

"Man, that takes me back," Leorio remarked, confirming Kurapika's suspicions. "Remember when we all met for the first time?"

"Like it was yesterday," Kurapika answered. "You and I were on the same ship as Gon on our way to take the exam."

"And we met Killua at the beginning of the first phase...I remember getting on his case because he was using a skateboard and not running like the rest of us."

Leorio and Kurapika continued reminiscing for a while, reliving simpler, happier times. Those days may have been long gone, but to Leorio, any day felt like old times as long as he was with Kurapika. Now that they would be working together on a regular basis as Zodiacs, things were bound to get more interesting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> things are gonna move along next chapter i promise
> 
> kudos/comments always appreciated!


End file.
